Arrested Development Season 4

Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
VanillaGorilla

VanillaGorilla

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 16, 2009
Messages
12,073
Likes
4,750
Points
113
I used this rainy holiday weekend to watch all of the new season, and I loved it.

Anybody else a fan?
 
Finally about to start season 1.
 
Love it. I was planning on watching it, but something came up. i will be rocking it over the next few days
 
Episode 7, where Gob is in the church AND a member of an entourage AND nurturing a bee's nest AND turning into Feral Jesus was truly epic. There was about 4 episodes of comedy gold jammed together in 35 minutes. If you aren't sure if you want to watch AD, watch that one episode (even if it's out of order.)

Overall, I think it started slow (and a little creepy for Michael), but it picked up steam as it went. The Ron Howard, Ben Stiller, Conan and Andy Richter cameos have been utterly fantastic.

Especially Ron Howard. I love his combination of wholesome goodness and producer dickheadishness. I can't even tell if it's an act.
 
Huge fan, but was out of town all weekend. I'm planning on watching most of the season on Friday night, and I'll chime in after I watch.
 
I've only watched three of the new episodes, but so far I'm a bit underwhelmed. I was a huge fan of the original series from day 1, own the first three seasons on DVD and have watched them from start to finish with my kids multiple times.

I'll give season 4 more time before I give up on it, but my criticisms so far:

Don't like the way they are focusing on one character per episode. IMHO, the real strength of this show has always been the incredible ensemble cast, the diversity of the characters and the way they interact and play off one another. Focusing on one character per episode loses a lot of that. I think I read somewhere that the one featured character per episode thing only lasts the first five episodes of season 4. I hope so.

The retelling/referencing of old jokes. Reminds me of the Seinfield series finale, which was one of the worst final episodes to any series I have ever seen. Anyone who is a fan and has watched the first three seasons will get the inside jokes and references without being hit over the head with them. The new episodes should stand on their own merit and not use past jokes/references as a crutch. Seems like lazy writing to me, or perhaps just a way to get casual/new viewers up to date. In either case, I also hope the reliance on old jokes fades into the background as I get further into season 4.

That said, I'm glad to see the old gang back and am looking forward to watching episodes 4 - 15 of season 4. Even with my criticisms, I still think it's better than 90% of everything else on TV. It's just that I was hoping it would be 100% better than everything else. That's what I've come to expect from this group.

BNM
 
Arrested Development is the most self-referential show I've ever seen, even in the first three seasons a large amount of the jokes were references to past jokes. If someone who hasn't seen the show before tuned into a season 3 episode, they wouldn't get most of the jokes. For example, they wouldn't know what being a Milford man means.
 
VanillaGorilla said:
Arrested Development is the most self-referential show I've ever seen, even in the first three seasons a large amount of the jokes were references to past jokes. If someone who hasn't seen the show before tuned into a season 3 episode, they wouldn't get most of the jokes. For example, they wouldn't know what being a Milford man means.
Click to expand...

The references in the earlier seasons were more subtle. The references in the first episode (especially) of season 4 were more heavy handed and at times, actually explained by the narrator. Again it felt like the writers were trying to get any newbies up to speed.

BNM
 
Just started watching this show a few weeks ago. Almost done with season 1. Was interesting at first. Not really feeling it now.
 
yuyuza1 said:
Just started watching this show a few weeks ago. Almost done with season 1. Was interesting at first. Not really feeling it now.
Click to expand...

Don't give up, there are definitely some gems in seasons 2 and 3.

BNM
 
Boob-No-More said:
The references in the earlier seasons were more subtle. The references in the first episode (especially) of season 4 were more heavy handed and at times, actually explained by the narrator. Again it felt like the writers were trying to get any newbies up to speed.

BNM
Click to expand...

Oh I see, I think that simmers down a bit as the season goes on, the episodes definitely get better as they go.
 
mook said:
Episode 7, where Gob is in the church AND a member of an entourage AND nurturing a bee's nest AND turning into Feral Jesus was truly epic. There was about 4 episodes of comedy gold jammed together in 35 minutes. If you aren't sure if you want to watch AD, watch that one episode (even if it's out of order.)

Overall, I think it started slow (and a little creepy for Michael), but it picked up steam as it went. The Ron Howard, Ben Stiller, Conan and Andy Richter cameos have been utterly fantastic.

Especially Ron Howard. I love his combination of wholesome goodness and producer dickheadishness. I can't even tell if it's an act.
Click to expand...

Agreed that it started off a little slow, but picked up steam.

Some of it's a little weird (kind of like how Ren and Stimpy came back a few years ago and really was over the top), and some of it's funny. It is a little slow at times, but I like the 1 person per episode arch set-up.

I wanted to like the Maeby storyline, but didn't. Granted I wanted to probably because I think she's a cute little spit fire, but it seemed like they just got lazy with her parts. (spoiler alert...stop reading here..)


















































































Her going back to high school, or better yet, never leaving, was kind of stupid. The fact they kind of quickly abandoned the weird incestual thing between her and George Michael was odd too (not that I was hoping for it..I mean, they aren't blood cousins...er....).

Some of the biggest issue is how long it's been since the show was last on the air. I do like how they've weaved the story to incorporate the time off though. It would've been stupid to ignore that Maeby, George Michael and others aged.

It kind of feels like when Futurama came back. It was cool, and fun to see new episodes (and like AD, Futurama built steam as it went along), but it just wasn't as funny as it was before.
 
Just finished last night. Kind of ended on a meh for me.

Looking back, it was really, really good whenever Gob made an appearance, and just kind of so-so the rest of the time (aside from the great cameos). Gob is a really, really funny character, but more than that he seems to undergo a pretty radical re-invention of himself that's very compelling. Reminds me a little of Jamie Lannistar.
 
I just love it all. I don't see the point in letting myself find little things I didn't like. I just laugh and laugh and then it's over. Til I watch it again of course.. Then I laugh more!
 
mook said:
Just finished last night. Kind of ended on a meh for me.

Looking back, it was really, really good whenever Gob made an appearance, and just kind of so-so the rest of the time (aside from the great cameos). Gob is a really, really funny character, but more than that he seems to undergo a pretty radical re-invention of himself that's very compelling. Reminds me a little of Jamie Lannistar.
Click to expand...

I think they could've done without the Tobias storylines imho. More GOB, more George Michael and More Michael.

I never cared for the Buster character.
 
julius said:
I think they could've done without the Tobias storylines imho. More GOB, more George Michael and More Michael.

I never cared for the Buster character.
Click to expand...

That's a pretty good summary. I was also kind of disappointed Lindsay got left by the wayside for the last 4 or so episodes. I'd like to see more of her.

But yeah, Buster and Tobias don't really do much for me.
 
mook said:
That's a pretty good summary. I was also kind of disappointed Lindsay got left by the wayside for the last 4 or so episodes. I'd like to see more of her.

But yeah, Buster and Tobias don't really do much for me.
Click to expand...

I'm hoping it's because in the 5th season (if there is one) she'll have a more prominent role. I'm not sure I liked where her character was going though. The nature of her character didn't seem to be as whorish in the original series as it was now (same with Maeby), and I think she could've carried a bigger more adult role (pardon the pun).

But you're right, she was totally thrown aside for the last few episodes.
 
mook said:
That's a pretty good summary. I was also kind of disappointed Lindsay got left by the wayside for the last 4 or so episodes. I'd like to see more of her.

But yeah, Buster and Tobias don't really do much for me.
Click to expand...

Funny, I watched two more episodes last night and they are definitely getting better, IMHO. One of them was the Tobias's Arrested Development. Tobias has always been one of my favorite characters (Buster, too). I love his unintentional verbal and written gaffs. He says and does the most unintentionally inappropriate things and is totally oblivious about it. I guess I just enjoy that awkward humor.

BNM
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top